Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to a personal hygiene device. Prior art describes a number of methods to apply fluid to toilet tissue utilizing a variety of dispensing apparatus. Several of these devices moisten toilet tissue by dispensing a fluid from a device attached as an accessory to conventional toilet tissue holders, such as, U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,229 to Spencer and U.S. Pat. No. 567,206 to Gorman. These devices utilize the core of the tissue roll by placing a fluid container into the core and moisten the tissue via a spray arm extending over the tissue roll. These devices appear to be cumbersome to install and operate and do not provide an adequate means of controlling the amount of fluid dispersed onto the tissue.
Additional tissue moistening devices are mounted independently or are attachable to the tissue holder and moisten the tissue utilizing a spray pump mechanism as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,759 to Ayigbe and U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,465 to El-Armin. These systems rely on a spray pump attached to the container of fluid and in general should provide some degree of controlling the dispensing of fluid as well as the area of tissue covered. The disadvantage of these devices is that refilling the container with fluid is somewhat of a problem and that the devices are complex and costly to manufacture.
Fluid dispensing devices, not specifically intended for use as a device to moisturize tissue, but being somewhat adaptable for that purpose are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,255 to Yager and U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,877 to Birden. These devices essentially provide a hand held container having a cap formed to include a sponge type applicator for the application of fluid. Considerable modification of these devices would be necessary for them to be used as a device for moistening tissue as the devices are not suited to being wall mounted in an inverted position and do not dispense a metered amount of fluid uniformly to an area of the tissue.
A need exists for an easily used personal hygiene device, one that can be operated by the user with a single hand, and supplies a metered amount of fluid in a uniform pattern to a selected area of tissue. Additionally the device should be easily refillable and of moderate cost. It is the object of this invention to provide such a device.
It is the object of this invention to provide an inexpensive self-contained hygiene device for the moistening of all types of toilet tissue. The hygiene device can be conveniently mounted near a tissue dispenser and is operated using only one hand. The hygiene device is easily refillable and provides a measured dispensing of fluid over a specific area of tissue. The hygiene device consists of a bracket, holding an inverted fluid container, with the container having an attached dispenser for the fluid.
The user moistens tissue with the hygiene device by placing a tissue beneath the dispenser and using an upward motion, depresses the end of the dispenser with the tissue. Fluid is forced onto the tissue from the fluid container through the dispenser, the dispenser acting as a pumping device. Fragrances and antiseptics may be used in the fluid and decoration may be added to the container of the hygiene device with little cost. Assembly and manufacture of the hygiene device is inexpensive and relatively simple as few parts are employed.